THIRD WEEK OCTOBER 2007

SQUIB DIARY
Monday 15th October 2007
Squib’s out. Cover story “What’s the worth of a Doctor’s Life, a revisit of the C.O.P. Vs Ibinabo Fiberesima case. Was at the Lagos High Court, specifically Justice Adebisi Kayode-Ogunmekan’s Court. Nice ambience, in the court. Furniture, floor tiles, lighting; air-conditioning, now very okay. Pray they last.

Tuesday 16th October 2007
Was not in court today. Went to the Maximum Security Prison, Kirikiri. As a visitor, of course. Silly. Saw my Dad, today. Daddy 3, I mean. The old guy still pushing himself so hard, even at 76. Old school, hard-as-flint folks always like that. Can you imagine Daddy 3 still burning midnight candles preparing cases? Since he cannot change by himself, I pray, here and now - “Oh God, help touch my Daddy, so that he can slow down. Thank you God for answered prayers.”

Wednesday 17th October 2007
Was at the Ikeja High Court. Saw groups of law students from the Lagos State University {LASU} in some courts. They came to watch proceedings. Learnt from their leaders that the visit was strictly a students’ initiative. Commendable I say.
Noticed a ‘Pool of Siloam’ on the corridor of Justice Obadina’s court. The source of the pool is a leak from one of the pipes taking condensed water away from the air conditioning engines in the court room. Messy, quite messy a pool, growing green moss. Somebody may slip there, one of these days.

Geckos report an incident between a lawyer and his driver at the Court of Appeal. The lawyer’s case was struck out by the court because of his absence. Yet, the lawyer was very much about in the court premises but could not appear in the court room. Reason - his driver bringing his wig and gown did not arrive the court in time. Claimed traffic jam, lawyer was not appeased. Driver got the sack. Instanta. The lawyer? Ladi Williams S.A.N.

Thursday 18th October 2007
Was at the Ikeja High Court. Rather dull in the courts today. Only few lawyers about. The courts are dry these days since the new legal year. Reason is obvious. The High Courts and Magistrate Courts have not been sitting full force. Many courts still undergoing renovation. But not Patricia Etteh style.

Friday 19th October 2007
Wonders shall never end. Heard that at the Lagos High Court, only one judge Toyin Taiwo J. sat today. Heard that many of the others took the day off to be with Honourable Justice Oke-Lawal who was marking her birthday. Incredible? This can’t be true. Ha!


Related links: http://www.editorspark.wordpress.com

http://www.learnedsquib.wordpress.com
http://www.squibcoverstory.wordpress.com

SECOND WEEK OCTOBER 2007

Monday 8th October 2007

Squib's out. Cover story on the 60 day jailing of one Moroof Ayinde Lateef by Justice M.O. Obadina for contempt of court. The said Lateef would be in prison till 4th December 2007. Hopefully by then, the man who is a claimant before Justice Obadina and had used strong offensive language against the court might have been purged of his contempt.

Was at the magistrate cour, Bolade Oshodi. Neat court room. Neat court compound.

NBA Ikeja branch held its monthly meeting today. As usual with the Tigers, it was a full house, full of excitement. No dull moment. The A.O.B was specially delicious. Hot debates raged to and fro on the powers of the Attorney General of the federation over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Most Tigers seemed to be in support of the AGF's constitutional superiority over the EFCC.

There was a certain wicked "Too-much-learning-has-made-you-mad" speech by a certain Mr. Squib against another Tiger. When the affected Tiger insisted on the withdrawal of the "offensive language," Mr. Squib retracted it thus: "Too-much-learning-has-not-made-you-mad."

Tuesday 9th October 2007

Was at the Lagos High Court for an election petition matter. Quite a long day. From there at the late hour of 3.00 p.m, moved to Maximum Security Prisons Kirikiri to see a client.

Wednesday 10th October 2007

Was at the Ikeja High Court. Geckoing all about since my case in court did not go on. Thank God, the NBA Ikeja Secretariat toilet came back to life, after about five weeks. Well, only one of the four toilets was now functioning.

Friday 11th October 2007
Public Holiday (Ramadan).


Related links:http://www.learnedsquib.wordpress.com
http://www.squibcoverstory.wordpress.com
http://www.editorspark.wordpress.com

FIRST WEEK OCTOBER 2007

SQUIB DIARY by Adesina Ogunlana www.squibanticorruption.com


FIRST WEEK OCTOBER 2007
Monday 1st October 2007
Public Holiday. Nigeria’s Independence Day. SQUIB under production.

Tuesday 2nd October 2007
Squib’s out. Cover Story on the investigation of the House of Assembly on the financial accounts of the Lagos State Judiciary.

Was at the Lagos High Court. Received a shock in Honourable Justice Kayode Ogunmekan’s court. The shocker was that less than two weeks after the court’s newly completed floor was completed, it was already cracking up! Attended the special valedictory court session for late Sobo Sowemimo SAN at the foyer of the Lagos High Court.

Wednesday 3rd October 2007
Was at the Lagos High Court for an election petition matter. Otunba Abimbola Adegbesan vs. INEC and Ors. Witnessed an infuriated lawyer (whose car was blocked by one of the new Lagos Judiciary Staff buses at the car park) and a security man. In fact, the bus blocked off no less than six other cars. The infuriated lawyer was mad with the security man for allowing the driver of the bus to park the way he did and walk away! The security man claimed helplessness in the circumstances. Thought the counsel was right and wrong at the same time. Right in his points, but wrong, very wrong in shouting and screaming abuses, even maledictions in the court premises. A classic “Agbero” (motor park tout) protest act. Not good enough comportment for a counsel with over a decade of practice at the bar. You want to know the counsel? Sorry but won’t satisfy your curiosity.

Thursday 4th October 2007
Nowhere near the courts today. Went to Kirikiri. The Max. Met with one or two clients there. While waiting at the rustic reception point to see the clients, witnessed routine extortion of other visitors to the place by warders on security duty there. Applications to see inmates are processed for a fee. Subtle intimidation and cajolery of people were routine by the warders to get some bucks. Are their superiors unaware of this ugly and shameful exercise? At the Lagos High Court, another valedictory session was held for another departed silk – Olatunji Lardner SAN. Learnt that Governor Raji Fashola SAN came to Ikeja High Court to present new vehicles to fourteen (14) magistrates. Lucky chaps. All their other colleagues had collected their own cars about two years ago. Well, better late than never. Say?

Friday 5th October 2007
Was at the Ikeja High Court. Was in Justice J.O.K Oyewole’s court. Saw how the court freed a young woman prosecuted by the EFCC on an 8 count charge. Hardly had the judge pronounced her not guilty that the stunned girl bolted out of the court room in unbelieving joy. Well, can you blame her? Certainly it was no easy road to freedom.

LAST WEEK IN SEPTEMBER 2007

SQUIB DIARY By Adesina Ogunlana www.squibanticorruption.com

Monday 24th September 2007
The Squib’s out. The first in the year. CoverStory: Tiger’s New Legal Year 2007 statement.
Was at the Ikeja High Court and saw many lawyers moving about like sheep without a shepherd.
Not only were many courts undergoing belated renovation, virtually all the judges have been reposted from their divisions. The effect? Confusion. Not a few wondered at the timing of the renovation and transfers.
To worsen things, all non-part heard matters in their scores – if not hundreds, were sent back to the Records Section for re-assignment by the Chief Judge. Of course no reassignment has been done and the earliest assurance of that being done according to Records Section is 2-4 weeks. Wonderful! What a mess, what a disaster really in terms of delaying and clogging the wheels of justice administration.

In line with the tradition here of scorning the Bar, the authorities never deemed it fit to contact, communicate with, not to talk of consulting the bar on these developments. First class geckos informed the Squib that one of the apparatchiks of the present regime, Ayo Odugbesan, a Deputy Chief Registrar pointedly told some bar leaders who came for a meeting with the Chief Judge a few weeks ago, that the Alabi administration had no need to inform the bar about any changes or developments in the Lagos Judiciary.
Wow! Bravo!
Now we know why we are where we are today.

Tuesday 25th September 2007
Rainy Day. Was Briefly at the Ikeja High Court. Left for the Ministry of Justice, specifically to the Directorate of Public Prosecution. To see the D.P.P you go there 2.00 – 4.00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Got there well within the hours stipulated this day but couldn’t get to see the official after about a fifty minute wait. By the way, there is a new D.P.P now, no longer Efunbowale Gbadebo. It’s now Adebola Okikiolu-Ighile. The same one. The former D.P.P. Bless you.

Wednesday 26th September 2007
Was at Ikeja High Court. Had the misfortune of visiting the holding cell in the court’s premises. Oh what strong, foul odour fills the whole place. Overpowering stench, yet detainees and warders stay in there. Unbelievable. Serious health crisis imminent if that place is not cleaned up and fumigated immediately. Have been seeing some brand new Kia vehicles, about twenty in the court’s compound. Who could they be for? Magistrates?

In the afternoon, got to the lair of the Ikeja Tigers, the Bar Centre. Couldn’t use the convenience there. No water! Seems this “No water” situation is now a recurring decimal. Can’t the problem be permanently solved?

Thursday 27th September 2007
Was at the Court of Appeal Lagos. Usual lawyer’s work. What was unusual was that after the appeal was dismissed as prayed for – both appellant and respondents were happy and embraced one another and thanked the counsel too!
One day you may hear the full gist of the rather curious case involving a champertous old lawyer.

Friday 28th September 2007
Was at the Ikeja High Court. Briefly. So quiet.